Three Options
by bittie752
Summary: Set after the season 4.5 finale. Zane leaves Jo a gift and asks her to choose one of three options for their future
1. Chapter 1

**I really can't stop I think I need to go to Fanfiction Authors Anonymous. Hi my name is Britt and I have a problem. Seriously though I have two more story ideas floating in my head and this is one of them. **

**Disclaimer I still don't own Eureka.**

**This is set two weeks after the season finale.**

It was such a small thing, Jo thought, such a tiny box, small enough and light enough that she could pick it up with one hand. There was not absolute certainty as to what the box held because for the last two days Jo had been refusing to open it. No certainty but she had an idea of what that box held. And she wasn't sure how she felt about her suspicions especially since things hadn't been settled when Zane left. Now that the ship had disappeared what that tiny box contained could either hold the key to her happiness or break her heart all over again.

Jo pulled the box closer to her. When the ship disappeared two weeks ago, she had been on her crazy walk about trying to find herself. Well she did find herself, right back in Eureka desperately wishing she could erase the last few weeks. Wishing she could throw herself at Zane and promise to wait for him, forever if need be.

Instead she sat here with a box that Zane had left for her with SARAH. He gave specific instructions to the AI to only give it to Jo when Jo knew what she wanted. So after days of SARAH poking, prodding and asking Jo all sorts of uncomfortable questions the house had decided that Jo was ready. Andy had dropped the box and note off at Jo's office on Monday morning.

On Monday she had all but forgotten it due to the craziness of the day. Tuesday Jo had chosen to ignore the call to open the box, making sure to leave her office when the call to open it became strong. Today she sighed and lifted the box in her hand. The contents probably weren't what she was thinking they were any way. It was probably some joke, something he thought would make her laugh or something that would make him laugh when he heard about her reaction.

Taking a deep breath she opened the letter first. Her lips quirked at the sweet letter that was still so very much Zane.

_My JoJo,_

_This one is __**mine**__ to give. I was hoping that you would hang on to it while I'm away. No pressure, just take so time to consider these three options._

_1. Give the ring back for good this time and tell me to go take a flying leap off a tall tower_

_2. Hold on to the ring until you are ready to take the next step (I know you still have the chain in your desk) or_

_3. Where it proudly on your finger and you can plan your fairy tale dream wedding to your very own ruggedly handsome prince charming. But be warned, once you put that ring on it's yours to keep and I can't take it back._

_I know you said you didn't know if you could wait for me but I plan on waiting for you. You may be a half billion miles away but you are always in my heart.(Ok that was really cheesy but I mean it) _

_And JoJo, personally I hope you pick option three, because I am 1000% sure of what I want._

_Love,_

_Your Zane_

She read the letter through three more times before she picked up the box again.

Her fingers trembled as she opened the small velvet case. Inside was that small familiar gold ring that she had worn around her neck for months. Well this was this Zane's ring not exactly the same one she had thrown back at him. Closing her eyes she weighed her options.

The first option wasn't rally an option she planned on taking. She had the chain in the top drawer of her desk (it scared her how well Zane knew her) she could easily wear it around her neck. Peeking through one eyelid she noticed again how the ring sparkled in the light. Now opening both eyes she continued to stare at the ring.

Carefully lifting it out of the box she placed it in the palm of her hand. She knew exactly how it would look having placed the original ring on her finger many times; there was no real need to see how this one looked. Right? But this was **this Zane's** ring and trying it on didn't mean she chose option three. Maybe she really wanted option three. Zane wanted option three. When did she become the commitment phobe.

Damn why did this have to be so complicated. Zane was missing and may never come back and here she was contemplating what something that weighed about an ounce meant.

Sliding the ring onto her left hand Jo once again stared. It felt like it belonged on her hand. Sighing Jo snapped the ring box closed and placed it in her top desk drawer. No harm in wearing the ring in the privacy of her own office. Carefully folding the letter she put it in her pocket, sure she would read it over and over again. Time to get back to work, she thought unenthusiastically.

For the next few hours she reviewed various eyewitness statements from the launch as well as the updated reports on the computer system diagnostic. Her eyes and heart both ached from the strain of the investigation. Her phone beeped. "Lupo." She said as she answered.

"Hey Jo it's Jack. Can you meet me in the directors office Henry has something he needs to go over with us."

"Sure Carter. I'm on my way." Jo hung up and slid the PDA into her pocket. Almost forgetting the ring when she saw the sparkle, she quickly pulled out the box. The problem started when she tried to remove the engagement ring. It was stuck.

It wasn't stuck like hey my finger is swollen stuck. It was stuck like some crazy bad boy genius particle physicist wants to mark his territory stuck. There was no way it was stuck on accident that frustrating jackass did this on purpose.

The curse words flying out of her mouth would have made her brothers blush. Damn that man Jo thought. How dare he presume? Well damn it, she put on the ring but ughh.

Crap she had to meet Carter and Henry. They would notice the ring in a matter of minutes. Shit the first time she showed up in Café Diem the whole town would know about the ring. This was a town full of genius; it would take a millisecond to equate an engagement ring to Zane since everyone knew they had been involved.

If that man made it back in one piece she was going to kill him. Well maybe not kill him but he was going to pay for this.

Shoving her left hand deep into the pocket of her jacket, she left the safety of her office and headed to see her friends. On second though she was going to kill him.


	2. Chapter 2

Half an hour later Jo was drumming the fingers of her right hand on the director's desk. Henry's desk since he had been made temporary head of GD. Her left hand was still hidden in her pocket.

"So," Henry's voice sounded slightly defeated. "That's where were at. Senator Wynn expects a full update when she arrives on Friday. Hopefully we can have some more information for her then."

Carter sighed and stood to leave. Jo had started to pull her left hand out of her pocket to push herself up but quickly shoved it back inside.

"Hey Jo, everything ok?" Carter asked looking concerned.

"Nothing is ok Carter." Jo automatically replied, instinctively shoving her left hand deeper into her pocket.

He shook his head. "No I mean with your left arm. You've been favoring it and you haven't taken your hand out of your pocket since you got here. You were fine this morning. Is everything ok?"

Shit, Jo thought. Why did the man have to be hyper observant? Sure it's what made him a great Sheriff but it made it hard to hide things from him.

His eyes were full of concern and he stepped toward her. "If something's wrong you should have it checked out." Carter reached a hand to her and Jo jumped back.

This was going to be humiliating she thought. Hell she probably needed their help to get the thing off anyway. "I'm fine Carter I promise. It's just… It's just Zane and this stupid gift he left for me with SARAH. I put it on and now it won't come off. The damn man put his own brand of a permanent sticking charm on it."

"What won't come off?" Henry asked looking concerned as well.

Yanking her hand out of her pocket Jo showed off the ring on her finger. Carter said nothing but stepped over and took her hand, his mouth hanging open slightly. "So he proposed? And now the ring won't come off." Carter gave the ring a tug, still wouldn't budge off her finger.

Anger of the ring still not coming off bubbled in Jo, "I guess he proposed. His letter said something about options. I don't know but he left me the ring. His version of the ring and I tried it on and now it's stuck. We need to get him home now so I can kill him for this. How am I going to explain this? Poeple will notice that I'm wearing an engagment ring. Small town full of genius', me wearing a ring, me having only been seeing Zane. Not to big of a leap as to who's ring this is and what it means."

"It is Zane. Some people won't believe he made any type of commitment until they here from the horses mouth. Maybe they'll think you've been seeing someone else, too." Carter was still pulling on the ring.

"Oww!" Jo yelped when he pulled hard on the ring. "That doesn't help either. Because then I was, what? Just playing fast and loose with Zane, all while I had something more serious on the side. I'm not that kind of girl, Carter."

"What else did the letter say?" Henry had stepped over and he had replaced Carter in trying to remove the ring. Although he studied it rather trying to use brute strength.

Jo fished the letter out of her pocket. "Here" she handed it to Carter. "Maybe there is something in it I missed about how to take the damn thing off."

Carter's eyes darted across the paper, taking an inordinate amount of time to read the short letter. Suddenly he started laughing, uncontrolably lauughing. He handed the letter over to Henry. "Typical Zane" Carter managed to get out.

The older man tried to repress the laughter as Henry handed back the letter. "That is definitely a proposal."

Taking large gulping breaths Carter somehow managed to regain his ability to speak. "He warned you Jo. It doesn't say he won't take it back it says that he can't."

Jo ground her teeth. "You two are NOT HELPING. Seriously what am I going to do? I can't just walk around town and tell everyone Zane and I are engaged!"

"Why not?" Henry asked his voice regaining that calm reassuring tone. "He did propose to you. Albeit in his own unique way, the third option was an invitation to wear the ring and plan the wedding."

Slumping back into the chair behind her, Jo looked up at her friends. "What if he doesn't come back? What if I'm somehow cursed? Zane gives me an engagement ring and we are ripped apart, again. Only this time the damn ring is stuck on my finger. I'd never be able to move on then. What did I do to deserve sucj rotten Karma."

"Hey, don't think like that." Carter kneeled down in front of her. "Me, you and Henry will figure something out to save the day and bring them home. We always do."

"No **_we_** don't. Sometimes you _we_ do sometimes _they_ do." To Jo, they meant Allison, Fargo, Zane and now Holly and Grace.

"Well then it's a good thing they are working to come home from their end." Carter smiled at her.

"In the meantime" Henry added " Let's get you to a lab and see if we can figure out what Zane did."

"Can we plot revenge while we're at it?" Jo pouted.

"Absolutley, how about we make him go temporarily bald?" Carter chided.

"Oh or we could burn all of those blue shirts of his." Henry said.

"Maybe there's some way to temporarily tattoo Jackass across his forehead." Jo smiled.

The three friends headed out one of GD's labs. "Don't worry Jo. This prank won't go unanswered." Carter once again had to stop himself from laughing. He had learned the hard way not to mess with Ms. Josefina Lupo. Zane wouldn't know what hit him when he got back.


	3. Chapter 3

Three weeks later the team at Global Dynamics still had not heard from the Astreaus crew. And Jo still had an engagement ring on her finger that she refused to talk about to anyone about. Oh rumors were flying and of course Vincent had set up a betting pool on which lucky man it was who gave her that ring. In fact Vincent was currently trying to pump a newly arrived Zoe for information.

"Well it was a pretty open secret that she was seeing Zane. And wow was that a change for the better. I mean no more war between the two of them for starters and no more of Zane's silly pranks. But I didn't know it was that serious. Ok so I did get the vibe that Zane wanted it to be more serious then Jo did. I mean the amount of pouting that man did when she wouldn't pay enough attention to him. I never would have thought anyone would have been able to tame that man."

This truly was the best place to get the gossip fix. "Whoa Vince, I don't know who the ring is from. She hasn't been talking to me either. In fact she was already at her new place when I got home last night so I haven't even seen her yet. I think my dad and SARAH know but both are being tight lipped. And for SARAH to not be gossipy, it must be big news." Zoe sipped her coffee wondering if the mystery ring did in fact come from Zane.

"Knowing Jo," Well maybe she knew the old Jo but this one couldn't be that different. "I doubt she was seeing two guys at one time. Zane seeing two girls, that I could believe, not Jo though."

Vincent leaned in, "so do you think Zane proposed before Astreaus left? I mean he was disappointed that Jo wasn't going on the mission too. He just looked heartbroken that she dropped out of the running. I'm betting he didn't like the thought of them spending six months apart."

Zoe shrugged, "If I had to put money on Jo two timing Zane or him proposing, I'd bet on the proposal any day. When did you first notice the ring?"

Vincent loved that Zoe was giving the inside scoop even if she didn't have all the details. "Well she was out of town for the launch, on that mission to find herself thing. I know she didn't have it on when the black hole destroyed this place. But she was in and out of GD all day and I didn't see her from the time this place went poof until a few days later. But even then it was unseasonably cold so when she did come in she had gloves on. So I only noticed a few weeks ago. She could have had it on the whole time."

"I'm sure that Jo will tell when she's ready." Zoe added. "When she does though you know I won't be able to confirm or deny anything."

"How would you feel if it was from Zane though? I mean you and Jo are close and you and Zane were, well whatever that was last summer."

Zoe laughed. "I've been over whatever Zane and I were for a while. We were friends I thought it meant more then he did. Besides he was totally into Jo by then. Hard to believe but I was actually the one poaching not Jo. Those two can keep their secrets, believe me. If they are engaged I'm not sure they would tell anyone until the wedding."

"I would be heart broken if they didn't ask me to cater though. Wait you don't think they actually got married before he left do you? I mean just in case something happened. Maybe they made it official."

"No I'm sure I would have known about that." Zoe finished her coffee and asked for a refill.

Hurrying back Vincent continued. "Well I hope that the ring does turn out to mean those two are getting married. With you being so far away you may not have noticed, but the two of them are just happier around each other. Zane has really calmed down and Jo has really loosened up. I think those two are just made for each other."

"Doesn't it seem weird though? They hated each other for years and now everyone is just assuming they're engaged." Knowing about the time line change, Zoe was testing the water. If Vincent thought something was up then she was sure other people would too. On the other hand if Vincent thought everything was perfectly normal and natural, they were safe.

Smiling Vincent shook his head. "Honey I have watched the people in this town for so long that this thing between Jo and Zane is hardly a blip on the weirdness radar. The fighting was probably them just fighting their feelings towards each other. On the surface they seem so different but underneath they are much more alike then I think they even know. I mean I was so much more surprised when Allison got back together with Nathan Stark, or that Callister Raynes turned out to be a robot. Honey in a town where a robotic deputy falls in love with a house and vice versa nothing surprises me any more."

"Can't argue with that, and if everything you sat about how well Jo and Zane fit, I guess I never had a shot with him." Zoe gave Vincent a sad smile.

"There is someone out there for you, Zoe don't worry." Vincent decided to change the subject. "How are things going with your dad, Kevin and Jena?"

Zoe frowned, "Good I guess. You know dad, even those he's upset about Allison and everyone being gone, he'll hold it together and focus on the problem at hand."

"That is why we are so lucky to have him." The door opened and the pair turned to see Jo enter. "Good morning Jo. What can I make for you this morning?"

"Just a smoothie and coffee, to go. It's going to be another long day." Jo smiled weakly; she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks.

Zoe stood and hugged her. "Hey sweetie it's good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm here, I'm alive, other then that I don't know." Jo sat down waiting for Vincent.

"You look like you haven't slept in a week. You should rest." Zoe said looking concerned.

Jo shook her head. 'I'll rest when we bring them home. Until then…" She trailed off unable to continue.

"Here you go." Vincent handed two cups over to Jo. "Anything new?"

"Not since yesterday." Jo looked on the verge of tears. "I'll let you know if we get any good news."

"When we get good news, Jo, when not if." Vincent patted her arm and turned back into the kitchen.

Jo turned to leave and Zoe followed her out. "Hey, can I catch a ride to GD with you Jo? I'm helping in the infirmary today and I think we need to talk."

Chewing her bottom lip while she thought about it, Jo finally nodded. "Get in. I'm not sure I'll be good company though, or that I have much to talk about that Vincent hasn't already filled you in on."

Eyeing the sparkly ring on Jo's finger, Zoe smiled. "I'm sure we can find something interesting to chat about." Jo was sure to tell her all the details about the ring, if Zoe applied the right pressure.


	4. Chapter 4

**Standard Disclaimer I don't own Eureka, no infringement is meant and I am not making any money off of these. Just trying to bridge the gap between now and the Christmas episode. Which apparently is amazing based on tweets from those in the cast and crew who have seen it.**

The car had barely pulled out of the parking spot when Zoe started her questioning. "So did Zane propose before he left?"

Jo's hands gripped the wheel a little tighter. Zoe didn't pull any punches did she? "No he didn't propose before he left. Why?"

"Well you are wearing an engagement ring. As far as I know Zane is the only guy you've been seeing. Unless this you from another timeline isn't as loyal as my Jo, then it has to be Zane's ring. Were you seeing two guys? Is it Taggart? Someone I don't know?"

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Jo knew she just needed to tell Zoe the truth. "There is no one else but Zane, Zoe. There hasn't been anyone but him since we met. I love him, only him. But no, he didn't propose before he left. Things were still up in the air between us when he left. You know not settled"

"What do mean not settled?" Zoe continued to push.

"He asked me to wait for him and I told him I wasn't sure if I could. Not because I didn't know how I felt about him." Jo tried to explain.

Zoe stared at her. "You told him you didn't know if you could wait six months? Okay, why not?"

"Look my life was turned upside down and I tried to move on but I couldn't. Zane was Zane and he pushed and needled and I fell in love with him all over again. Even though I knew how I felt about him I didn't know how I felt about me and my life here. So I left to find out what I wanted, and then the ship disappeared and it turns out I want to be here in Eureka." Jo took a inhaled deeply, not knowing how Zoe was going to take her explanation.

"Ok that still doesn't explain the ring." Zoe said slowly.

Jo shifted in her seat and pulled an envelope out of her pocket. "He left this letter and the ring at SARAH for me. For when I figured out what I wanted." She handed the letter over to the younger girl.

Zoe carefully read each word of the letter. "Wow it's so sweet but still so Zane. So you chose the third option? Why haven't you told anyone?"

Jo laughed "Yes I chose the third option. Your dad and Henry know. If I could just talk to Zane tell him that I want to say yes, maybe then I would shout it from the rooftops. Right now though, I don't even know if I'll see him again, so I'm keeping it mostly to myself."

"So why are you wearing the ring in public if your not going to tell? Everyone assumes its Zane anyway." Zoe was confused.

"That's the tricky part. The ring won't come off." Jo let out a small laugh.

"What do you mean the ring won't come off? Like your finger became swollen or it won't go over the knuckle?"

"No, like a brilliant physicist developed some new compound that stuck this thing to my skin and Henry can't figure a way to get it off my finger. Well unless we chop off my finger or destroy the ring. Neither of which is an option."

Zoe smirked at her. "Did you decide to marry him before or after the ring got stuck to your finger?"

"I knew I wanted to marry him before but I wasn't planning on wearing the ring all the time until he got back and he put it on my finger himself." Jo sighed catching sight of the ring again.

"So, typical Zane made it so once you made the decision to marry him you couldn't take it back?" Zoe chuckled. "That man is truly a genius, an evil genius."

"Yep" Jo nodded her head "I guess he wasn't planning on disappearing and leaving me to explain how Eureka's most confirmed bachelor is now engaged. God this is what's going to get us busted for time travel."

"Oh I've been doing some recon on that aspect for you. Vincent totally believes that Zane would propose. Said that he suspected that Zane was pretty serious about you, so if Vincent believes it…"

"Everyone else will too." Jo smiled brightly for the first time in weeks. "The 180 from enemies to engaged didn't strike him as odd?"

"He said your relationship wasn't even a blip in the weirdenss radar." Zoe smiled. "He's had odds on the two of you since Zane rolled into town."

"See if I would have checked the odds when I first got here, thisngs would have been so much smoother. Never doubt what Vincent sees." Jo laughed.

"I get to be the maid of honor right?" Zoe smiled.

"Naturally" Jo agreed "I wouldn't have it any other way. But we're not starting the wedding planning until the crew gets home. I'm not sure I could take it, if I planned a wedding only to not ever be able to tell the groom we're engaged."

"Totally understanable. No wedding plans yet. Now what are you going to do to get him back?" Zoe asked rubbing her hands together. "You cannot let this prank go unanswered. Tell me you have something great planned."

"Luckily I still work with some of the greatest minds in the world and I have never been more thankful that my big brothers pulled more then their fair share of pranks." Jo wiggled her eyebrows. "Here's what I'm thinking so far…"


	5. Chapter 5

So** I typed most of this on my iPad which at times has a mind of its own. I apologive in advance for blatant typos.**

Ten days later Jo found herself sitting on an airplane headed back to Eureka from Washington DC. As the top ranking member of Global Dynamics not currently lost with Astreaus, she was the person being raked over the coals. Losing a twenty billion dollar project was not going to go unnoticed.

Eleven hours spent answering question after question from the Senate subcommittee that was investigating. Most of them demanded explanations as to why she was not in Eureka at the time of the accident. What part did the security breach involving Beverly Barlow and Allison Blake have to do with the ships disappearance? Jo would be lucky if she got to keep her job after this. Maybe Carter could use an extra deputy, if she wasn't redacted.

Forget wedding planning if that happened. She'd have to find a way to rebuild her life if that happened, probably a life without Zane. Ughh she had to stop thinking like that. Henry would do everything in his power to bring the crew home. She had to have faith that everything would be ok.

Senator Wynn had questioned her in the hearing about the engagement ring. It had probably been her saving grace when members of the committee were told that her fiancé was missing along with several of her closest friends. It had been her first public admission of her engagement. Zane had said to wear the ring proudly and to plan a fairy tale wedding right?

The only bright spot in her hellish week was the fact that her brother Ricco had been in DC on a layover before heading to Germany. It had been nice to spend a few hours with her brother, not so much fun explaining that she was engaged and her fiancé was missing. There was probably going to a few messages on her phone by the time she landed. She may not turn it on when she got home. Henry was giving hertomorrow off.

Jo flipped idly through a few bridal magazines she had picked up for the excruciatingly long flight home. Smiling slightly she dog eared a few pages with her favorite dresses, hoping the shop in Eureka could recreate the style. When Zane got back she was going to tease him relentlessly about the huge wedding she was planning when in reality she wanted simple, elegant and small. She sighed; she wanted the wedding she had been secretly planning since she met Zane. She had always loved weddings but since the day they met, in the other timeline at least, she could see herself married to that man.

That was what had made the loss of him after 1947 so damn difficult. It had been the loss of Zane, the loss of the dream and the loss of a future with the only man she knew she could ever love so completely. And she almost blew it this time. Once Zane got back though, she was going to show him that she knew exactly wanted.

* * *

><p>Henry was sitting in Mission Control again. It had been over six weeks and still no word from the ship. Some people thought if they hadn't heard anything by now they wouldn't hear anything at all. Henry was trying to be optimistic as he scanned the frequencies for any sign, any trace of them out there at all. He typed new code into the computer.<p>

"Hey mind if I join you?"

Henry turned to see Zoe. "No, please come, sit." He motioned to the chair next to him.

"What are you working on?" Zoe asked as she peered at the screen.

Henry resumed his typing. "I am trying to boost the signal strength in this thing. Hopefully these updates will give us a better shot at finding our missing ship."

"Have you heard form Jo?" Zoe asked.

"On her way home, apparently the interrogation was brutal. She'll be back in a few hours and I'm making her take a day off. If I have to ban her from the building I will." Henry gave Zoe a small smile.

"How do you guys do it?" Zoe asked.

"Do what exactly?" Henry typed a line of code into the communication system.

"You, Jo and Dad how do you hold it together when everything falls apart like this? I mean all three of you have lost your significant other. Yet instead of falling apart, like I would you guys just plow through and keep everyone else's hopes alive"

Henry turned to her, giving her his full attention. "Because we have to. Look it would easier to give in and find a hole to craw into but someone. Your dad and Jo are really really good at pushing through. Me, I learned hard way, sometime you can't change what's happening to you. You have to change how you react to the situation."

"Come on Henry you are like the smartest man I know, I can't believe you ever had trouble adapting." Zoe said.

"Ah Zoe, you have alot to learn. Intelligence has very little to how you react in a crisis. That is why your dad is the Sheriff and I am not." Henry went back to typing in new lines of code.

Suddenly the panel in front of them flared to life. Through the crakling and popping a voice came through followed quickly by a grainy video.

"Astreaus to Ground Control. Ground Control come in". Grace's face appeared on the screen.

Henry's face lit up. "Astreaus this is Ground Control. It is good to see your face."

As the picture became clearer Zoe made out the faces of Allison, Zane, Fargo and a redhead who must be Holly.

"We are glad to see you too." Grace's smile matched Henry's. "We have fI sighed repairs to the comm system and the FTL drive. We should be able to compete the jump home in the next frotyfive minutes. We just hoed you guys to be ready to catch us."

"The BCE is ready and waiting for you." Henry replied still grinning like a school boy.

"Zoe," Allison cut in. "Its so good to see you."

"Good to see you to. Jenna, Kevin and Dad are fine. I'll make sure their here when you get back."

Allison wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank you."

"We should prepare the crew for the jump and get everyone into the stasis pods." Grace said.

"We anxiously await your arrival." Henry responded.

Zoe noticed Zane straining to see if anyone else is in the room. For a split second she thought of prolonging his suffering before she took pity on the poor man.

"Zane, she's on her way back from DC. Apparently the DOD and Senatan demand answers when a multi billion dollar project and some of the worlds brightest minds disappear. You will probably beat her back."

He nodded his head still looking disappointed.

Laughing Henry spoke up again. "Hey Zane, she chose option three, just so you know."

Zane's smile brightened and Henry continued "I hope you like tights, epiletts and you do know how to joust right?

Holding her hand in front of her face Zoe held in the laughter at the look of horror on Zane's face. "Henry that's just mean. You know she is planning a Greek theme, more togas then tights."

"Not sure what you guys are talking about," Grace interjected. "but how about we discuss this when my crew is back on Earth."

"Agreed" Henry said. "See you within the hour."


	6. Chapter 6

**Again I wrote all of this on my iPad since I'm on vacation. I will reedit after I get back to my PC next week. Autocorrect stinks! **

Slowly the plane began to empty, finally the opening made its way to Jo's row. Quickly grabbing her rolling suitcase and sholder bag she made her way down the aisle and out to the gangway. She stared straight ahead as she followed the crowd to the exit.

It was already past ten at night and she still had at least an hours drive ahead of her. Exhausted after her week all she wanted to do was get home and curl up in her nice warm bed. She fleetingly thought about turning on her phone to check for any messages from Henry but quickly changed her mind. Her voice mail was more then likely full of messages from her father and older brothers with questions about Zane.

Adjusting the strap on her shoulder bag, she passed to the other side of the secured area. A familiar voice caught her attention and caused her heart to stop. An impossible voice, a voice that belonged to someone who was a billion miles away.

"Looking good Lupo.".

Jo stopped dead in her tracks and turned toward the sound of the voice. It had to be a mirage. She rubbed her eyes and blinked rapidly but he was still there.

"Are you going to just stand there? He said as he smiled at her. "Or are you going to come over and say hello?"

"Zane? Oh my God, Zane!". She dropped her rolling bag and ran over to him, almost knocking him down as she leapt into his arms. Her fingers brushed his cheeks before he ran them through his hair. Hesitantly not believing this was real, she brushed her lips on his. Groaning with weeks of longing and months of hesitancy, Jo deepened the kiss. Like every time before the kiss made her feel like she was coming home.

Several minutes of passionate kisses later they broke for air. "Please don't tell me this is some crazy hallucination or dream that I'm having" she pleaded, kissing his cheek.

The left side of Zane's mouth curled upward. "As long as you don't tell me that the only reason your wearing my Grandmother's engagement ring is because it's stuck to your finger and not because you actually want to marry me."

"Well I really do want to marry you." She breathed.

"Well in that case I am not a hallucination or a dream." He punctuated his statement with another kiss.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her over to the discarded bag.

"How are you here?" Jo snaked an arm around his waist and snuggled into his side.

He kissed the top of her head. "Without getting into the sciency details, which you will probably hear over and over in the next few days. We figured out how to get the ship home about four hours ago. Made the jump three hours ago and GD has helicopters that Henry insisted I use to beat you here. Apparently he's a hopeless romantic."

Jo smiled as she enjoyed the warmth of his arms as they walked out to her car. "I hope I get to keep my job long enough to hear those those sciencey details."

"Whaddya mean?" He pulled her closer.

Jo sighed "I am chief of security and we temporarily misplaced a huge project and many of Eureka's brightest scientists. The DOD is no longer confident in my abilities. I may soon have to look for a new job."

"They can't do that." he started, indignant at the thought of Jo being redacted.

Jo stopped, now at her car. "Let's not talk about that now. Right now let's celebrate the fact that you're home. Alive, safe and home."

Zane pushed her against the car and his lips captured hers once more. "I love you Josefina." He mouthed barely audibley against her lips. "My biggest regret while we were gone is that I never told you that. I left you a note with my proposal, but I hadn't told you that I love you."

"I let you leave thinking I may not be here when you got back and without telling you just how much I love you too." Jo pulled back and looked deep into his blue eyes. "I love you, only you. But more then that I want you, no, I need you in my life."

For one long moment Zane didn't say or do anything. Jo was beginning to think she had some how said the wrong thing. Closing her eyes she tried to push him away but he held her pinned in place.

"I have never needed anyone or been needed by anyone before you Jo. It scared me to think of putting my happiness in anyone's else's hands, but without realizing it I did just that. I can't breath when I think about a life without you. Marry me JoJo?"

Unshead tears filled her eyes. "Yes, yes I will marry you."

"Then let's get home so I can give my fiancé a proper hello." He kissed her softly using all his self control to pull back.

Jo smiled. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

><p>Three days later the happy couple stood in Zane's lab. Thankfully the DOD had let Jo keep her job. Angry calls from Fargo, Henry and Allison had swayed them in the right direction.<p>

Using an eye dropper Zane put a few drops of a solution onto Jo's ring finger. With a slight fizz the substance cementing ring to finger dissolved leaving both her finger and the ring fully intact.

"There you go." He said as he stoppered the solution.

Jo took the ring off her finger and stretched it for a moment before returning the the ring to its proper place. "Thank you. It was beginning to itch."

"I like the way it looks on that finger." He said as he raised her left hand to his lips.

"It will look even better with a second ring on it too." She smirked back. "Oh I have something for you too." She took a small box out of her pocket and handed it to him, trying to keep her features from betraying the laughter bubbling underneath.

"What is it?" He grinned already opening the box. Jo had never been more glad for his curious nature.

"Aw Zane you just have to open it and find out."

The moment the lid was off a holographic life sized Zane sprung into existence. Only this Zane's hair was cut into a high Mohawk. He was wearing black eyeliner and matching lipstick. The tight black tank top this copy was wearing was bedazzled with a British flag. His shorts were ridiculously short, tight blue jean cut-offs. Finishing off the outfit was a pair of black leather thigh high platform boots.

"What the..." Zane started to say but was cut off by extremely loud music. The hologram began to dance and sing.

"Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want..."

Zane watched in horror as the impersonation gave an embarrassing performance of the entire Spice Girl song 'If you Wanna be My Lover'.

Jo was doubled over with laughter.

"What the hell was that?" Zane pointed at the spot where the hologram had been standing a moment ago.

"Payback" She gasped between laughs. "I borrowed the technology from Taggert's Christmas Carolers, Zoe helped choreograph the dance moves."

"So this is revenge for the ring stunt?" He aske. Slightly in awe of her deviousness.

"That is just the tip of the iceberg. Its voice activated whenever anyone but you says your name. Oh and its also not based on a set period of time. It will go off four more times before you're free." She walked over and kissed his cheek. "You can expect a different song and a costume change each time. If you need me I'll be in my office with our friends watching the security feeds. Vincent brought snacks."

Still unable to speak at the crazy prank this woman was pulling on him, he watched her walk towards the door.

She turned her head and spoke over her shoulder. "Oh and don't even think about hiding in your lab all day, do that and we'll be showing these at Cafe Diem's next movie night. Love you Zane." Hurriedly she left the room.

At the mention of his name the hologram appeared once again. In another ridiculously outfitted holo-Zane began to gyrate his hips as The Macarena began.

Well played Jo, well played Zane thought. Maybe he deserved this for gluing the ring to her finger. God he loved that brilliant, devious, evil woman. If you can't beat 'em, he thought, join 'em and he might as well put on a good show. He started to sway to the music and joined in on the dance steps. Singing at the top of his lungs, he waved at the security camera. "Hey Macarena. All right!"

**A/N I would pay money for those security feeds personally. Oh and I don't own Eureka, the Macarena or If you Wanna be My Lover**


End file.
